Rainer Bullets

[gunflint]

Does anyone have an opinion on Rainer Plated bullets? They seem to be priced fairly cheaply. I am looking for a decent bullet for the 40. Thanks

[jac714]

I shoot a .45 so it is a different type of thing but they have worked well for me.

My experience with 9mm (about 500 rds) is also good, I am however, a little concerned over the higher velocity of the 9mm. I guess we will have to see what happens over time. I have seen no indication of any seperation of the plate and core.

The .40 is a much higher pressure/velocity than either of these and may react totally differently. I have also been told that some guns don't like plated bullets.

Give them a try, use the same load recepies as comparable weight/design cast lead bullets.

[westhope]

I tried Rainer in 45 ACP SWC. They seemed to vary somewhat. I had a few problems getting that load to work. For a plated bullet, I like Berry a lot more. They seem much more uniform and the plating may be a little thicker. Again, only 45 ACP 200 gr SWC in both.

[Pinnacle]

Does anyone have an opinion on Rainer Plated bullets? They seem to be priced fairly cheaply. I am looking for a decent bullet for the 40. Thanks

My Sig229 (40) likes them just fine -

My 45 likes the 230gr OK

Glock - I did not have favorable results. I just dont think that they work good with the Polyogonal rifling...

[gunnerbmg]

I have had good luck with the 9's and the 45 swc....

[gunnerbmg]

I have had good luck with the 9's and 45swc....no problems at all

[westhope]

gunner bmg wrote:

45swc....no problems at all

What overall length do you use? I need a different overall length than my 200 gr. SWC plated bullets than the OL I use for my lead or jacketed 200 gr SWC.

[Seismic Sam]

Rainer bullets are fine for most any handgun load up to about 1300 FPS, and they would be fine for a 40. I shoot some pretty hot 165 grain 10mm loads with Raniers. In my own comparison with the Smith 500, Berrys actually suck worse than Raniers when you start edging the velocity over 1500 FPS. Velocity standard deviations start to go to hell, which means the plating won't hold on the grooves and lands above those velocities, and the Berrys give up sooner than the Raniers. In general veteran handloaders seem to prefer the Berrys over the Raniers, but either bullet shoots better than I can, and John-Boy carries Raniers. Cabela's carry Berry's.

[gunnerbmg]

Westhope...I will look tonight and get back to you with the OAL...

[gunnerbmg]

Darn near ran out of the house without the info this morning... BUT, I remembered and here it is....1.269 OAL, 5.9 gr. of win 231. This load works great in my full size and my officers model. Never had a feeding problem, or any other troubles...

[cobb]

1.269 OAL.......works great in my officers model. Never had a feeding problem, or any other troubles...

Interesting. I know why westhope is asking.

So another question, what magazines are you using?

Maybe more important, are these 200 gr. bullets?

[gunnerbmg]

Yes, these are the 200gr swc bullets. I have shot maybe 4000+ of these with this load. Have you had trouble with them?

[gunnerbmg]

More...I use Wilson combat mags, but I have shot them with a Kimber mag and also the 10 round Chip McCormick mags....no problems with any of them.

[cobb]

Yes, these are the 200gr swc bullets. I have shot maybe 4000+ of these with this load. Have you had trouble with them?

I'll let westhope explain more fully, but he had an extraction problem that appeared to be caused by the shape of the 200 grain bullet.

[westhope]

OK Cobb, I'll explain.

I shoot 200 gr SWC bullets for IPSIC & IDPA. My main gun is a Wilson 4" Professional 1911. I also shoot a Kimber 4 ", Officer's length grip also. Occasionally I will shoot a Wilson full size 5" or a Springfield Micro 3 ".

I usually use Cast & Blast (Leo Dwyer's) lead bullets because they are cheapest and have worked for me for 10 years or so. Probably 5,000 to 10,000 yearly. On the calm or humid days when the smoke from the lead bullet lube is thick, I will use the 200 gr SWC Berry plated or Hornady 200 gr TMJ jacket bullet. These have worked for me in all my guns for a long time too.

A month or so ago at a match Cobb attended I had several Failures to Extract when I was using the 200 gr Berry bullets with my Wilson 4" due to the smoke from the lead bullets that day. The fired case was partially extracted. On several of the jams, I noticed the rim of the fired case was against the flat shoulder of the next round in the magazine. At the range, I pulled the extractor and checked if it was broken or there was dirt in the exrtactor hole. They were both OK. The jams happened again on the next stage.

Looking at Berry bullet, it appeared the wadcutter shoulder was further out than the shoulder on the Hornady or lead bullets. When at got home, I tried Berry's in several of my 1911's. Ocassionally one would jam in those. The Overall Length of all the 200 gr SWC's were 1.250. I shortened the Berry's to 1.230, and these worked in all my guns except the 4" Wilson. Same type if FTE in it.

I then tried some of the lead SWC in the 4" Wilson and had a couple similar FTE with those.

I then replaced the extractor and recoil spring on the Wilson 4" and have put 100 plus Berry and lead rounds through it without any jams. I did not see much wrong with the shape of the extractor, but I had another one and fitted it.

It seems to work now. I can never remember this Wilson 4" malfunction for me before this. I've had the gun for several years. I do change recoil springs every 5,000 rounds or so in all my 1911's.